Please put me down as someone who didn’t see the Trump candidacy coming. I don’t see Mr. Trump as a joke or bad person. On the contrary, I always enjoyed him on TV and agree with him on some things. However, we are talking about the presidency and I don’t see Mr. Trump as the right man for that job.
Trump’s political opinions have wobbled all over the lot. The real-estate mogul and reality-TV star has supported abortion, gun control, single-payer health care à la Canada, and punitive taxes on the wealthy. (He and Bernie Sanders have shared more than funky outer-borough accents.) Since declaring his candidacy he has taken a more conservative line, yet there are great gaping holes in it.
Let me be fair to Mr. Trump. He claims that these party and position changes were the reality of being a businessman who does business across the country. In the other words, he had to contribute to the people in power in order to have them return his calls.
Frankly, I’ve heard that before from other businessmen. A few years ago, a Dallas architect told me that he contributes to both sides so that he gets invited to the victory party on election night.
My problems with Mr. Trump go beyond ideology and party switches. Again, I will give him the benefit of the doubt on that.
My real problem is Mr. Trump’s temperament. He does not seem to understand that the powers of the presidency are very limited.
He can’t deport 11 million without hearing from the courts. Let’s face the reality that many of these people have kids born in the U.S. They will put the matter in the courts for a while. (I hate to say it, but Mr. Ramos of Univision is right about that)
Why not go after the employers? People will self-deport or go home when they can’t find work.
He wants to build a fence and have Mexico pay for it. Really? I’m okay with the fence but the Mexico part is silly. What country is going to accept a deal like that?
On foreign policy, I need to hear more than we have stupid negotiators and the other side doesn’t. Really?
Last, but not least, does Mr Trump understand that he needs 60 U.S. Senate votes to get anything done?
Here is what I see for Mr. Trump: he will lose to Mrs. Clinton or VP Biden. If he wins, he will be a presidential version of Jesse Ventura of Minnesota, a one term governor who left completely frustrated with the reality of governing.
Let the “Trumpin” stop and let’s get serious!